(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Tea for Two with FACE Success Story Achilles and a Little Friend.

 

Key Findings from 2017 Pet Population and Ownership Trends Report

Did you know that 55% of all American households have pets?  Are you interested in learning about the latest dog, cat, and other companion animal trends?  The website reseachandmarkets.com has recently announced the publication of the market research report Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the U.S.: Dogs, Cats, and other Pets (2^nd Edition).  The report is available for purchase, but we’ve taken a sneak peek at some of the more thought-provoking findings, sure to be of interest to all pet parents and animal lovers!

Dogs

• Dog ownership has risen 29% in the past decade
• Both millennials and baby boomers are driving the growth in dog ownership
• Number of unmarried and childless dog owners is growing
• Half of U.S. dog owners live in the 25 largest metropolitan areas of the country
• Most pet owners favor smaller dogs but boomers tend to prefer larger dogs

Cats

• 59 million Americans own cats
• Cat owners are more likely to add other cats to the household than other kinds of animals
• Cat ownership among seniors has risen 43% in the past decade
• Number of Hispanic cat owners has been markedly increasing
• Females tend to drive growth in cat ownership numbers

Other Pets

• 15 million households have non-canine/non-feline pets (23% of all pet owners)
• There are 86 million “other” pets in the U.S.
• Latinos are most likely to have pet birds
• The presence of children in the household is a deciding factor in “other” pet ownership
• 73% of fish owners are under the age of 50
• 47% of reptile owners are millennials

Check out the Research and Markets website for even more pet ownership facts and figures.

 

San Diego Union Tribune Profiles FACE Success Story Cece the Cat

Meet Cece, a beautiful Siamese cat who escaped from home a few months back.  Cece was struck by a car and suffered a fractured back.  The surgery to save her life was more than her family could afford, but they applied for a FACE grant and Cece was able to have her surgery.  We’re happy to report she’s doing great now!  Check out this VIDEO about Cece and her family on the San Diego Union Tribune website.

FACE co-founder Dr. Keith Richter with his pups Mr. Piggy and Bloopus

Accompanying the video is an ARTICLE about Cece and the work that we do to save pets in need of critical veterinary care in the San Diego area.  With the cost of diagnostic services and specialty treatments for unexpected pet illnesses and injuries often running thousands of dollars, FACE provides hope for pet owners faced with the sad reality of economic euthanasia.

Thank you San Diego Union Tribune, for the wonderful profile of Cece and FACE!

 

FACE Grants Help Service Dogs in Need of Critical Veterinary Care

Recently FACE received a wonderful thank you letter from a truly special grantee.  Meet Kenneth and his service dog Sampson.  FACE provides financial assistance for emergency veterinary care to qualified pet owners…and some of these pets happen to be service dogs like Sampson!  Ken receives life-saving support from Sampson.  Ken has multiple health challenges, and Sampson provides comfort and assistance on many levels.  Not only is Sampson a diabetic alert dog, he also helps Ken get around in his motorized wheel chair and provides emotional support too.  Ken is hard of hearing and taught Sampson American Sign Language, so Sampson alerts Ken to the phone and doorbell as well.

Meet a few more FACE success stories who also happen to be very special assistance animals like Sampson!

Bella Amia is a registered service dog for her disabled owner.  Bella developed a cancerous tumor and the cost of surgery was more than her owner could afford on a fixed income.  FACE stepped in to help Bella…thanks to generous pet cancer grant funding from the Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo.

Pete provides emotional support to a young girl who has cerebral palsy.  After he broke his leg, Pete’s owner, a single mom, needed some financial assistance for his surgery.  With a FACE grant, Pete was able to get his surgery, much to the relief of his loving family.

Rascull is an emotional support dog for a disabled senior who struggles with some mental health issues.  Rascull swallowed something he shouldn’t have and needed surgery his owner couldn’t afford.  Knowing how important Rascull was to his mom, his vet called FACE and we were able to provide assistance to save his life.

 

Lost German Shepherd Returns Home After 4 Years

A German Shepherd named Molly vanished from her home in North Carolina 4 years ago.  Her owners tried to find her but they were unsuccessful and assumed Molly was gone forever.  Then a dog who looked an awful lot like Molly showed up at their doorstep 4 years later.

She put her head in her owner’s lap but he still couldn’t quite believe it was her.  They took the dog to get scanned for a microchip they had placed in Molly 9 years ago.  Sure enough, it really was Molly!  It’s still a mystery where Molly has been for the past 4 years, but that doesn’t matter much to her grateful owners now that they have her back after assuming she was lost forever.

Watch the heartwarming news video about Molly HERE.